Why Lane Kiffin's LSU football debut made history before kickoff

The college football fans who tuned in to witness Lane Kiffin's debut for the LSU Tigers had to wait. Severe weather in Baton Rouge forced the game against Clemson to be delayed by two hours.

In fact, it's believed to be the latest kickoff in program history, according to LSU football.

This is all fitting considering LSU's offseason. Kiffin's high-profile jump from Ole Miss set the stage for a roster flip with some Rebels players coming with him. He also scoured the country for talent, finding a few former five-star players to head to the bayou.

The late start adds drama and intrigue to this game, which already had fireworks coming into Saturday. LSU secured former NFL players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, putting them on the roster after a court order cleared them to play. This went against the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey, who filed a lawsuit against LSU and Kiffin. In the end, the Tigers conceded to the fact NFL players don't belong on college rosters.

Kiffin decided not to activate Wright or Harris this week after Clemson claimed a possible breach of contract. The two players, who have previously been participants in the NFL preseason, were set to have a second chance at playing college football.

LSU welcomes Clemson into Baton Rouge on Saturday night. The new kickoff time is 9:40 p.m. ET on ABC. 

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